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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748398">In The End (Tony Stark x Mary Parker Drabble)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicalWriter/pseuds/MythicalWriter'>MythicalWriter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Comics), Iron Man (Movies), MCU, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - Fandom, Spiderman - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Civil War Team Iron Man, F/M, Iron Man - Freeform, Mary Parker - Freeform, Meredith McCall - Freeform, Meredith McCall IS Mary Parker, My Theory That Tony Stark Was In Love With Peter Parker’s Mum, Peter Parker - Freeform, Peter Parker Son, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Romance, Spider-Man - Freeform, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark/Peter Parker - Freeform, theory, tony stark - Freeform, tony stark dad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 09:55:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22748398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MythicalWriter/pseuds/MythicalWriter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A theory of mine surrounds the fact that Tony Stark was best friends with Mary Parker growing up (known as Meredith McCall). They fell in love with one another as teens, and soon separated after their fathers found out about them. Years later, they reunited... but only after Meredith married Richard Parker.  They soon had a baby, (AKA Peter Parker), and she passed away afterwards. Or did she? </p><p>My own little story taking place in Civil War before Tony meets Peter. Please let me know what you think!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mary Parker/Tony Stark, Meredith McCall/Peter Parker, Meredith McCall/Richard Parker, Tony Stark/Meredith McCall, Tony Stark/Original Female Character(s), Tony Stark/Peter Parker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Grabbing the bag with her old clothes in it, Meredith carefully placed the note on top of the guest bedroom Tony let her sleep in. Finally stepping in the elevator of Stark Tower (for what would be the last time), she took a deep breath and pushed the button to go to the very bottom floor. Just waiting for the doors to close felt like it took a million years, let alone waiting for the elevator to decline. </p><p>It was hard to leave Tony like this; at midnight, where he was probably tinkering in his shop and drinking bourbon for the past few hours. It had only been three days since he found out she was still alive, and she knew that when she finally left again, it would likely devastate him. The civil war he was currently having with Steve Rogers took a toll on him, and on top of that, Pepper Potts had left him (from what she had seen in the tabloids). And finding out that his childhood love had hidden from him after all this time? Yeah… he was rightfully more upset at seeing her presence rather than happy. And she couldn’t bear that. </p><p>After he had practically begged her to come back with him to his residence, arguments and awkward silences ensued between the two. She had offered to help him countless times, but each and every time he would simply brush her off. He let her stay in his tower, bathe in his bathrooms, rest in his fanciest bedrooms, and eat like a king; yet there was nothing she could give back… she was useless. A possible danger to him too, if Zemo or another Hydra assassin found her at the place. And Tony didn’t need an extra burden. </p><p>There was a lump in her throat as she heard a female voice say that they were at the main floor. She didn’t even realize that she may need a security key to leave, or that Tony would be alerted once she had stepped out of the building. Well, it was too late to turn back now. </p><p>The doors finally opened, and dropping her bag, she gasped. Now this was worse than the previous fears she had. There stood the man that clouded her thoughts. Tony fucking Stark.</p><p>His countenance was a mixture between exhaustion and sadness. There were dark bags under his eyes, and his hair and clothes were disheveled. His Iron Man suit was standing behind him, hence how he made it eleven floors down so fast. His elbow leaned against the wall, looking into her light brown eyes with his hazel ones. “Have a hard time falling asleep?” </p><p>She sighed under her breath at his sarcasm, about to step out of the elevator. However, his other arm went to block her way of path, preventing her from leaving. He was nearly half a foot taller than her.</p><p>“You’re not leaving,” he said bluntly, “Until you can tell me why you want to.” </p><p>“It’s dangerous for the both of us,” she said, reaching down to grab her bag, “And you don’t need another conflict on your hands.” Pushing through his arm, she was stopped by him once again as he stepped in front of her.</p><p>“We’ve been over this,” he said, giving out a sigh himself. “So stop giving shitty excuses. I’m done.” </p><p>Silence stretched out between the two of them, the only sound being the stirring of Tony’s suit in the background. Reaching to pinch the bridge of her nose, Meredith thought… there were so many reasons why she needed to leave; yet barely even one of why she wanted to. </p><p>He continued to look at her, waiting for an answer that she didn’t even make in her head. Guilt gnawed at the pit of her stomach, her eyes avoiding his gaze. “You don’t understand, it’s… it’s hard to explain. I…” her voice trailed off, and a certain frustration took over her. “Don’t look at me like that.”</p><p>His eyebrows furrowed, confused; “like what?”</p><p>“Like I did something wrong, it… it makes me feel like I’m insane.” </p><p>“Well, you’re acting like it.” </p><p>She would have impulsively pushed her way through there in any other situation, leaving without a word...  but she didn’t. Instead, she stood there, reflecting on herself… Truth be told, she was acting rather erratically. </p><p>“Mary…” he started softly, “I need you to tell me what’s going on.” </p><p>She swallowed heavily. It was as if she was a mute for a second, before finally speaking up.“You won’t get defensive if I’m completely honest with you, okay?” She asked. “These are my feelings, and nothing to do with how you’ve been treating me.” </p><p>“Mhm,” he responded.</p><p>“And I mean this, only because you really need to know the truth of how I feel…” </p><p>“Yep…” </p><p>“And I-...” </p><p>“Just say it, Mary,” he cut her off, now a bit more impatient. </p><p>“I feel like I’m a nuisance here, Anthony. That’s why I want to leave. I hate that feeling, even if you don’t tell it to me verbally.”</p><p>Tony seemed to be taken aback for a second, trying to comprehend the words she was saying like it was gibberish. “What are you-...” </p><p>“Look, I know you want me to stay. To protect me since you weren’t able to in the past. And… I don’t know whether you still have any feelings for me now, but the fact remains that I think you believe it’s an obligation to take care of me. I try to help you, try to be of some… importance! But you don’t want nor need it, and I’m stuck doing nothing for these past couple of days. Just having worries after worries.” She realized she was speaking so fast that he may not even understand, but it didn’t matter in that moment. It was liberating to let all of her bottled emotions free. “On top of that, you don’t seem glad to see me. Not that I was expecting you to jump out of your seat, but I mean, hell…” she brought a hand to her forehead, distressed. “When we reunited, you seemed to be so pissed off-...” </p><p>“Pissed off? Yeah, I was pretty pissed off!” Tony said, his voice now raising. “For fourteen fucking years I thought you were dead! It took me six just to start feeling emotions again... I made Stark Industries kill thousands of families because it was the only goddamn thing that made me feel like I was hurting the world the same way it hurt me!” His voice became strained, and she could tell that he was trying to hold back his tears. “I had to be held captive for three months, thinking every single day that I would die before I realized that you weren’t even worth the countless amount of lives that I’ve taken! So yes, Meredith, I was more pissed off at seeing you rather than happy. If you had only reached out to me during that time, who knows how many children you would’ve saved! How many families!”</p><p>His voice grew silent, and she was left speechless… yep, this was the match to the firecracker. And she was fuming. She was the result of hundreds and thousands of deaths? Before she could speak up, however, he spoke up for her. </p><p>“And if you only did come back to me… we could’ve been happy. I would’ve given you and Peter the life you should’ve had.”</p><p>Happy… Was that what she lived on this world for? To make him happy? To be his mom and tell him what was right and wrong? From the time they were kids to when they were adults, she had tried to make him a better person. To decrease his judgement on the world as a whole. “Last time I checked, I’m not the one who sent a death wish to all of those people! You want to know what was happening to me, while you were getting billions of dollars and sleeping with every woman in New York..? I was being held captive, in my own body! Forced to do things that I had no fucking control over, because that’s what Hydra does to people. It’s hard to try to seek you out when I couldn’t even go outside without the paranoia that I’d be captured again. I had no part in whatever actions you took. I only tried to influence them for the better. You need to take responsibility for the past, and only you.”</p><p>Moments passed without a single word. She thought at one point that Tony would leave, not wanting to see her anymore, and now... it terrified her. In this moment, all they had left was each other. Was it really going to all end because of their mixed feelings about the past? Was he still wounded that she had chosen her late husband Richard over him? Because it appeared as though he was, even if he wouldn’t admit it. She hasn’t practiced psychology in a long time, but she could read him like an open book… and on top of that, he still felt guilty about the past. His mistakes with her, and his mistakes with the world.</p><p>“... Do you remember that maple tree that was kind of our typical rendezvous?” She asked. It was a random thought, but one she could connect to this very dilemma. </p><p>Nostalgia seemed to hit him in that exact moment, and for the first time in a while, a smile had formed on his lips. “You know, New York’s late mayor was adamant on bulldozing that park we used to hang around. But with the right amount of money, I bought it from him before they could even start. It’s funny how it changed his mind. He even brings his grandkids there now.”</p><p>She smiled back at the comment, giving out a little laugh. “No kidding?” Of course he wasn’t kidding. Sounded exactly like the type of thing Tony would do. Those days were so much easier then… their only problem was that they had to play coy with their own parents, a thing all teenagers do. In the past it felt like the worst thing in the world, but compared to now? It was paradise. </p><p>“I’ll always remember our times together. No matter how many drinks I try to drown it out with.” </p><p>“Oh, you are terrible,” she laughed again, hitting his arm playfully. “Those times weren’t that miserable.” </p><p>“No, they were the opposite, actually. That’s why I tried to drown them out in the first place.” </p><p>She didn’t know how to respond to that… shit, she had completely forgotten what dilemma she was even going to refer to. Her body had taken control over her mind, and she grabbed his shoulders and lifted herself up to kiss him for a brief second. At first Tony seemed to be surprised, pulling his face back from hers, and she was immediately certain that perhaps his affection for her was long gone. Unrequited, now the opposite of the past when she didn’t return his feelings for when she was married to Richard. “I’m sorry…” she muttered, feeling slightly stupid.</p><p>“You… you still-...” </p><p>“I know. I shouldn’t have been so forward on how I feel.” She said, still ashamed yet straightforward all the same.   </p><p>It wasn’t long after that she felt his lips now pushed against hers, and her humiliation left her as quick as it came. Her words were enough to send him over the edge, and all of his pent up feelings for her came loose. She found herself pushed up against the corridor wall, his body following and pressed tightly against hers, her fingers tangled in his soft brown hair as he picked her up effortlessly, her legs wrapping around his waist. He took her back into the elevator, only leaving her lips for a few seconds as he muttered to Friday to take them to his bedroom level. </p><p>“Anthony,” she spoke up, heavy breaths between the two of them as their foreheads were still together, “Your bedroom is like 10 floors above us.”</p><p>He laughed at her comment, still holding her with both hands and without any indication of struggle. “You sure know how to set the mood, don’t you Meredith? I’ll be damned that it’ll feel long.” And as she was about to respond, he kissed her again just to shut her up.</p><p>He was right about it not feeling like it took a long time, definitely quicker than when she was in the elevator by herself. She spent the rest of the night in the bliss of Tony Stark’s loving arms, keeping her hidden from all of their troubles in the world.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Next Morning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tony Stark and Meredith McCall talk about the future of Peter.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Meredith’s brown eyes opened suddenly at the sound of Friday saying “Good morning” and announcing the setting of the day. It took her a few moments to look around the room and the person she was sleeping beside to recollect what had happened the night before. Feeling a muscular arm that wrapped around her tighten, his breath tickled her ear and helped relax her own anxious nerves. </p>
<p>“Friday, turn off all alerts unless it’s an emergency,” he told the system, and it went quiet. “Sorry. Was enjoying your company and didn’t realize that I forgot to tell her to shut it,” He said, as he went back to cuddling her from behind. “You have no clue how happy I am right now. I haven’t been this content for a while.”</p>
<p>‘I messed up all of his plans‘, she thought fearfully in the back of her mind. She felt as content as he was to be by his side, and yet scared for what the future had in store for him. For her. She didn’t even realize that she hadn’t responded. </p>
<p>“You alright? You’re quiet.” </p>
<p>“This bed… makes my bed look like a pile of stones,” she joked, trying to lighten up her own mood and forget about the worries... the goddamn worries! She wasn’t thinking about them last night... . Well, it was hard to think about when you’re pleasing your oldest friend, and he’s pleasing you. </p>
<p>“You should sleep here more often, then.” </p>
<p>“I’m afraid that if I did, I’d fall into a coma.” She now raised herself to sit against the back of the bed. She was covered by a sheet, and her fingers picked at one another as she sunk him in. He had beautiful eyes, hazel ones that glimmered green when the sun hit it… And tan, little freckles that were sprinkled on the bridge of his nose, hard to see from afar since his own skin was almost as tan as they were. A handsome one, he was. No wonder he’s one of the most sought after men in the world. “Do you usually sleep in like this? You were always the one to only need a quick three or four hours, if not none.” </p>
<p>He shrugged, leaning on her as she brushed through his hair with one hand. They were acting as if they were married for forty years…well, she did know him since he was in 3rd grade and she was in 2nd. They were certainly getting close to hitting that forty-year mark of being friends, then lovers, then friends again, and now friends with benefits.. It was funny that even after such a long time, you still know everything about the ones you cared to know about. </p>
<p>“Not really. I’m always too preoccupied… but, tonight, you sort of encouraged me to sleep more.” </p>
<p>She couldn’t help but smile at the comment.</p>
<p>“How long have you had the brown hair for?” He asked, running his fingers through a strand. “It’s still abnormal seeing you without the red hair.” </p>
<p>“Abnormal? I’m offended,” she laughed. After she escaped from Hydra, she immediately changed the color of her hair to a dark brown to disguise herself better. She still missed her copper hair, though. </p>
<p>“No no, abnormal isn’t the right word…” he tried to reassure. “Just… surreal. After knowing you for so long as the fiery redhead.” </p>
<p>They talked for what seemed like minutes, but in reality was a few hours. He had told her all about becoming Iron Man, making a change in the world, even Pepper Potts (which actually was not that awkward of a topic). She had told him her story afterwards, which was much shorter than his. They had eventually decided to get up and eat breakfast in the living room, where they resumed their conversation.</p>
<p>It was only when he brought up the topic of her only son, Peter, that made her feel unnerved. </p>
<p>“There are a ton of mutants, superhero wannabes, whatever you want to call them, that I was looking through to have on my team, but…” Tony had taken a thought of how to approach this, before continuing. “Your son’s the one who caught my eye.” </p>
<p>“Peter? Oh, Tony…” she said, with a mix of shock and concern. Even a little bit of proudness, but that didn’t cover her worries whatsoever. “He’s just a boy. He’s not ready to fight, he’ll get hurt. On top of that, I don’t think he’s near as powerful as the people on Steve’s team. Please, Tony,” she went to hold his hands in hers. “Promise me you’ll find another person. If anything happens to him…” </p>
<p>He held her hands more tightly in his, looking at her. “I swear on my life, nothing will happen to the boy. I’ll make sure of it, and Steve wouldn’t lay a finger on him-...” </p>
<p>“Steve wouldn’t,” She emphasized. “Not the… other people on his team. I don’t care how strong he is, but he’s barely fifteen yet. They could… they could kill him!” And that was worse of a fear for her than getting recaptured again. A million times over.</p>
<p>“You think I’d plan to recruit him if I knew they’d kill him?” He said, now more firmly. “The boy’s risking his own neck by fighting muggers and robbers of the sort, not even with the suit that I’ll make for him. He’s in much more danger doing that… I mean, let’s be honest here, Mary... One of these days he could get shot and killed.” </p>
<p>She sat, contemplating but rather unmoved, biting her lip. “He’s a boy-...” She tried to repeat. </p>
<p>“You don’t think I know that?” He started, his hands now cupping her face. “He’s so much more talented than kids his age. He’s intelligent, strong, and dedicated, but he’s broke and naive. I’m begging you, let me mentor him. Let me give him the opportunity to reach his potential... I wouldn’t do it if you didn’t want it to… I just have a strong opinion on this, something that would benefit all of us.”</p>
<p>“You’re convincing, I’ll give you that.” She stated, but followed with a more sarcastic tone. “If you weren’t a superhero, you’d be great at politics.”</p>
<p>He scoffed. “Talking to unwavering idiots doesn’t really interest me…” It took him a second to regather his thoughts, but he was determined to win her favor. “Anyways, that’s besides the point… and on top of that, the protection that’ll be given to the boy is unimaginable. Nobody would ever even think of trying to hurt him.”</p>
<p>She cocked an eyebrow at the statement. “Protection?” </p>
<p>“The strongest people on my side will make sure he’s safe, if not me… A million dollar suit that’s able to defend him from the worst attacks. And extra knowledge that’ll help him for the future… I’ve been told that I’m an excellent teacher of the sort.” A confident smile on him grew just thinking about it.</p>
<p>She didn’t say anything. She didn’t look at him. It sounded like he meant his words… and she was nearly on the edge, but there was one more thing... “Why him?” </p>
<p>“Why him?” He lifted her chin so he could look at her again. “Do I really need to explain why, Meredith?” </p>
<p>She gave a soft smile at the remark. No, no he doesn’t… “it’s personal, isn’t it?” </p>
<p>“It’s always something personal.”</p>
<p>It was a hard decision, but from the look of him, he already knew what choice she had made.<br/>
“Make sure that if he’s hurt the slightest, or if he’s in any danger, send him home immediately. With protection, don’t just let him fend for himself.”</p>
<p>He nodded. </p>
<p>“If any mission is too risky, he won’t be involved under any circumstances.” She eyed him carefully on that one.</p>
<p>“Obviously.”</p>
<p>“And…” A strange request, but a dire one. “Don’t tell him about me. Until he’s ready.” </p>
<p>“I won’t.” </p>
<p>For a moment, she believed that that was all she had to get off her chest. Until... “One more thing… protect him with your life. As if he was your own son. He’s all I have left, and you know I’d go crazy if he died.” </p>
<p>“I will,” he said, nodding with certainty. “I always will.”</p>
<p>She pulled him into a tight embrace, and tears formed in her eyes. But this time, these tears were more... joyful. She knew her Peter was created to change this world, she knew it from the moment she saw her son’s face in the labor room. “Then I leave him in your hands,” She said, stifling a sob into his shoulder. He hugged her back tightly, not letting go… This was a man she knew she could trust with her baby. Her life. </p>
<p>They both knew that they couldn’t be together, nor have the happily ever after that they had always dreamed of having together as children. Her son was the closest they would ever get to that, in actuality. He could have that dream with Pepper, though; and as much as it hurt her, she had to let him go. And he had to let her go. </p>
<p>But at least they knew that no matter what, they had each other. Just like what she said under the maple tree, three decades ago;</p>
<p>‘No matter if I’m a million miles away from you, a million years since I’ve seen you, or a million arguments that we’ve had; you’ll forever inspire me to do better for the world, no matter how much I’ve fucked up in the past.’</p>
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